By Mark E. Moore
Did Jesus engage in political debate? Well, that depends on your definition of political. I’m not trying to be clever or coy, just clear (an attribute desperately lacking in modern political debate).
The word political comes from the Greek word politeuomai which means “to live as a citizen” (Acts 23:1; Philippians 1:27). It had to do with social engagement in the public sphere. According to this technical definition, to be political, Jesus would have to meet these four criteria: (a) Be a public figure—his ideas or vision would need to be declared publicly rather than merely in private discussions; (b) haveidentifiable followers—he would need to attract a sociologically identifiable group of followers; (c) have a social agenda—he would need to espouse a social agenda with rules for “doing life” together; and (d) have power over people—he would need to exercise power over his followers by mandating private behaviors and public practices.
Do these four things describe Jesus? Let’s look at the facts. I’ll hold my opinion until the very last paragraph, and I ask you to hold yours for a bit, as well.
WHAT DOES JESUS’ LIFE REVEAL?
First, let’s consider some aspects of Jesus’ life:
• Jesus’ primary preaching was about the “kingdom of God.” In Jewish culture this turn of phrase would have had explosive political implications. And Jesus wasn’t shy about it. The four Gospels include more than 100 uses of the term in 67 separate contexts; of these, 18 percent have overt political implications and another 48 percent are strongly suggestive of political content.
• Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, a regal role over Israel (Matthew 16:20; Matthew 22:41-46/Mark 12:35-40/Luke 20:41-47; Matthew 23:10; Mark 14:61, 62/Matthew 26:63, 64/Luke 22:67; Luke 24:26, 46; John 17:3). In addition, he claimed the roles of judge, king, savior, and shepherd—all political in Jewish literature.
• Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist, immersed Jews in the Jordan River at the very location the original Hebrews crossed into the Promised Land. This political theater was so clear Herod Antipas (the highest-ranking Jewish political figure in the land) beheaded John for sedition and suspected Jesus of the same (Matthew 14:1-12). His execution was noteworthy enough to be recorded by the famous historian Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews 18.116–19).
• Jesus appointed 12 apostles to lead his movement. This implied the ingathering of the 10 lost tribes, fulfilling the regal role of God’s messianic king/viceroy. Furthermore, the 70/72 evangelists Jesus sent out in Judea (Luke 10:1-16) would create a political stir, matching the number of Moses’ judges, which became the number of Sanhedrin members.
• The triumphal entry was Jesus’ most overt political theater, announcing himself as king by riding a donkey down the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The pilgrims who participated reciprocated with regal symbolism—waving palm branches—and the overt acclamation Hosannah (“save now”). This took place during Passover, which was equivalent to our Fourth of July (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44).
• Jesus’ “cursing of the temple” (Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; Luke 21:5-36) attacked the central symbol of the nation (as well as its central bank and armory). Coming on the heels of the triumphal entry, it must be seen as an announcement of a new regime. His citation of Jeremiah 7:11 and Isaiah 56:7 was especially politically provocative (Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22).
• Jesus was betrayed by one of his chief associates, arrested by the chief priest, and given over to Pilate, the governor, on charges of sedition (Matthew 27:2-11; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-5, 13-24).
• Pilate crucified Jesus as a rebel, between two revolutionaries; a sign placed above his head read “king of the Jews” (Matthew 27:35-38).
HOW DID OTHERS VIEW JESUS AND HIS MOVEMENT?
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that others viewed Jesus as a political figure—his family, friends, disciples, and enemies:
• Mary named him Jesus, meaning “Yahweh saves” (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31).
• Nathanael called Jesus the “king of Israel” (John 1:49).
• The Samaritans called Jesus “Savior of the world,” a title typically reserved for the emperor (John 4:42).
• Herodians and Pharisees plotted Jesus’ death (Mark 12:13).
• After feeding 5,000, the populous attempted to install him as king by force (John 6:15).
• Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah (Matthew 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20).
• Herod instigated an assassination plot against Jesus (Luke 13:31-33).
• The Sanhedrin determined that Jesus must die lest the nation be led to revolt (John 11:47-54).
• James and John requested chief seats in Jesus’ administration (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-45).
• Pharisees and Herodians questioned Jesus about the propriety of Roman taxes (Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26).
• The chief priests plotted Jesus’ arrest and execution and feared a riot over him (Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1, 2; Luke 22:1, 2).
• Jesus was apprehended as if he were leading a rebellion (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-49; Luke 22:47-53).
• Jesus was charged with claiming to be king of the Jews (Matthew 27:11, 37).
• The book of Acts documents the political engagement of the Jesus movement. The Thessalonians said of Paul and Silas, “They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus” (Acts 17:7).
There are 36 political confrontations in 22 chapters of Acts, including incidents involving the chief priests (4:5-22); the whole Sanhedrin (5:17-42; 22:30—23:10); King Herod Agrippa 1 and 2 (12:1-4; 25:23—26:32); a political adviser to a proconsul (13:6-12); civic leaders in Antioch and Iconium (13:50; 14:1-6); local businessmen and city magistrates of Philippi (16:19-24); mobs in Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Jerusalem (17:5-9; 19:23-41; 21:28ff); the Areopagus in Athens (17:19); proconsuls Serigus Paulus of Cyprus and Gallio in Corinth (13:7; 18:12-17); Governors Felix and Festus (24; 25); and perhaps Claudius Caesar and Nero (18:2; 25:11). Christians were arrested 10 times, fled a city 6 times, were beaten 5 times and twice killed, were the subjects of death plots, stood trial 11 times, and had to claim citizenship twice.
HOW COULD JESUS BE POLITICAL YET NOT TALK POLITICALLY?
Jesus was political in his cultural environment, and so was the church that followed his teachings. Yet, Jesus had no political debates in the modern sense of power plays for authoritative positions. So, how could Jesus be political and not talk politically? The answer can be seen most clearly in Mark 10:35-45. When James and John asked for the chief seats, rather than rebuke the brothers, Jesus told them how to achieve greatness by redefining political methodology:
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42-45).
All the kingdoms of this world operate with two political tools—violence and propaganda. There are no other political instruments in worldly politics. Jesus’ however, replaced violence and propaganda with indiscriminate love and truth, respectively. The goal of earthly politics is manipulation. The goal of Jesus’ politics is service. If individual Christians and organizational churches would adopt Jesus’ political methods of indiscriminate love and truth, Jesus said it would make us great.
The argument here is quite simple. When Jesus claimed to be king, it had social-earthly implications and not merely spiritual-ethereal ones. He intended (and intends) to be a real ruler over a sociologically identifiable group of people, his church.
The reason (I would argue) that most have difficulty with a political Christ is because they object to him using earthly political methodologies to carry out God’s agenda for this world. But if we grasp his politic of self-abnegation, his goals and methods both come into clear focus.
So, did Jesus engage in political debate? He engaged in nothing else, for his life and teaching were intended to transform more than your heart. He claims sovereignty over your family, finances, work, community, and public policy. While our political debates deal with national policy, Jesus aimed (and aims) at nothing less than global supremacy, transcending the political posturing of provincial, transient, tribal governments.
Mark E. Moore serves as teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona, and is author of Core52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year.
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